Luna's Pick of the day: Aequare 70% Ecuadorian Chocolate

Aequare 70% Ecuadorian Chocolate

I got this as a gift from Emily over at Foodzie, and this chocolate is truly a gift. 8 squares of high quality dark chocolate, holds a bit of fruitiness, a hint of coffee, very subtle vanilla flavor. I like the fact that unlike many 70% chocolate, it melts slowly in the mouth to release the flavors.

Is baking really that hard?

Yes. and no. Everything & anything is hard if you think that way. On today's show, I share some on how to make baking less fearful & more fun + plus an easy recipe for sugar cookies!

Luna's Kitchen Magic airs @ 7 p.m. EST, 4 p.m. PST:
www.radiodentata.com/RDplayer/lunaraven/

Grana Padano

Grana Padano…if Parmesan is the king of cheeses, then Grana is its Grandparent.

Born about 1,000 years before Parm, Grana is the original hard cheese. It is also severely underrated. Find one that is aged around 16 months, you will be happy you sought it out! These cows are afforded more scenery, walking a meandering path. They can eat flowers as well as grass giving this cheese a smooth delicate flavor & texture. This is fantastic over pasta, salad or drizzled with a good honey, such as lavender!

I think that the greatest shame of hard cheese is that all anyone ever wants to is grate it, which I personally find is madness. My preference is to either break into chunks or simply flake it off. The latter is my favorite way.

When you look at cheese, you see that there are natural grooves in it. This is where the flavor is. If you cut cheese into cubes, (in my humble opinion, an atrocity and total waste of cheese) you lose the essence of the flavor. When broken into chunks or flaked off, you get all the wonderful subtleties that cheese holds.

Always make sure you are shopping with a reputable dealer. The real deal on imported cheese is that they are generally stamped for authenticity.

I know that there are plenty of those who feel that Parm is the only way to go, however I say that you should at the very least give it a taste. At worst, you won’t love it as much, at best you will love it more!

For more on Grana Padano check out these sites:

http://www.granapadano.com/ing/index.htm

http://www.igourmet.com/granapadano.asp

Father's Day Tribute

My show for this weekend is all about my father: without him, I wouldn't be the witty, lovely, obnoxious foodie that you know and love.

My dad was, as many father's are, flawed. After losing both of his sons' to divorce, he made a decision to be the best and most active dad he could.

We often hold grudges and blame our parents for everything that goes wrong, but we have to bear in mind that they truly do the best that they can with what they have.

My dad, I think, raised a great kid. Thanks for listening to the show today and Happy Father's day!

NOTE: this post is from last year but it all still stands. I was lucky: my dad chose me and I am so lucky he did. I cannot imagine my life without him and would never want to. Losing him was rough, but I was blessed to have had him.

Happy father's day, daddy, wherever you are.

Luna's Pick of the Day: Cha Cha Tea!

Cha Cha tea invites you to “discover the world of tea on cup at a time.” Therefore, I did!

Lychee Red Tea 1 tsp steeped three minutes: the color is a lovely red, very light bouquet; the Lychee flavor is mildly sweet with a clean, soothing swallow.

Organic Passion Fruit Rooibos 2 tsp steeped 3½ min: the lemongrass and licorice smell are very overpowering at first but dissipates quickly. The same two flavors are what stand out the most. There is a lot going on here, Rooibos, hibiscus, lemongrass, rosehips, orange peel, passion fruit, mango and clove. The clove is subtle and the passion fruit gets lost.

I like this tea, but I would have loved to have more of a Passion Fruit flavor.

Vanilla Coconut 1 tsp stepped 3 minutes: this little bag holds so many of my favorite scents all in one place: Rooibos & black teas with apple, vanilla, chocolate and of course, coconut. I rather swoon a bit every time I smell it. The fragrance is still lovely when steeped, though not as strong.

The flavors meld marvelously together, and this would make a scrumptious base in place of coffee in any dessert recipe….

Organic Celebration 1½ tsp steeped for 4 minutes: this is some sexy smelling tea! Currants, hibiscus, cinnamon and licorice root with plum, Celebration is a luscious treat that the creator Maleah says is perfect paired with bubbly. This is so bewitching an idea, I think we should go try it….

www.chachatea.net

Healthy Eating

Food is important as more than fuel, yet still a source of energy. If you are what you eat, do really want to be made up of trans fats, sugar and things you can’t spell? Food is even more important now. The politics of food is changing every day, the economy is tanking and our health & well being is even more in our hands than ever before.

Food has essence and soul that has gotten lost over the last 50 years.

For more on the subject please tune in to the show!

Luna's Kitchen Magic 7 p.m. EST

http://www.radiodentata.com/RDplayer/lunaraven/

Luna's Pick of the Day: Cucumber DRYsoda

I came home one evening to a marvelous treat: my sample of the brand new Cucumber Dry Soda.

I should start with this: I love these people! I discovered DRY at the store when they were doing a tasting. I came home that day with a four pack of Lavender soda. Since then I have tried every flavor, and I will freely admit that my favorite changes frequently. I have also had the pleasure of meeting the crew, so I am happy to support such charming & friendly people.

I like the Juniper and the Kumquat on their own. Lemongrass is ideal for spicy food. Lavender is perfect with a little bubbly, and the Rhubarb is a fantastic compliment to a well cooked burger. I have special plans for the Vanilla Bean the next time I get some: float. Maybe a bit of Passion Fruit or Lime Sorbet. Or both! OOOOhhhh!

I gave up soda years ago because of the garbage inside. So this product, to me goes beyond mere soda, it is four divine ingredients which create enchantment.

The first sip made my eyes pop open. The second sip lingered, fresh, light…I really do love cucumber…. This my friends, dances on the tongue as a fizzy drink should, instead of assaulting your palate with sugary horror. A fantastic balance of sweetness, clean freshness & bubbles, Cucumber DRYsoda is sure to enrapture anyone with taste buds.

www.drysoda.com

Bryant Terry: Vegan Soul Kitchen

My interview with Bryant Terry was really quite fun. He is interesting, enthusiastic, and refreshing.

From being a chef to a food justice activist, his desire to make food more than just sustainable is eveident from the word go. He uses cooking as a way to engage young people and teach them how to lessen their impact on the environment.

This is a chef who wants more people to eat delicious food, and how to make a great meal.

Chef Bryant is actively & effectively challenging food streotypes, working to bring fresh, healthy food to those who would not otherwise encounter it. In the interview he shares with us what inspired him to become a chef, why he wrote Vegan Soul Kitchen and more!

Listen to the interview June 6 & 7 @ 7 p.m. EST!

http://www.bryant-terry.com/


http://www.peoplesgrocery.org/